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"En Pointe"
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NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN HOSTS WORLD PREMIERE OF DOCUMENTARY
ABOUT NATIVE BALLET DANCERS
"Flight of Spirit" The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian will host the world premiere
of a documentary celebrating the lives and careers of five internationally-recognized Native American ballet dancers
titled "En Pointe: The Lives and Legacies of Ballet's Native Americans" (2000, 60 min.). The premiere
will be held on May 4, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the museum's George Gustav Heye Center, located at One Bowling Green
in lower Manhattan. A public screening will be held on May 6 at 2 p.m. Admission is free. "En Pointe," the latest documentary by award-winning producer-director Shawnee
Brittan, provides a first-person account of Yvonne Chouteau (Shawnee/Cherokee), Rosella Hightower (Choctaw), Moscelyne
Larkin (Shawnee/Peoria), Marjorie Tallchief (Osage), and Maria Tallchief (Osage)--all of whom were born in Oklahoma-about
their early training, as well as their experiences as world-famous dancers with some of the best-known ballet companies
in the history of twentieth-century dance. The documentary is hosted by Richard Thomas, best known as "John Boy" in
television's "The Waltons," who also can be seen in the movie "Wonder Boys." The film was executive
produced by Joanna M. Champlin, and co-produced and written by Drake Bingham. In attendance at a reception following the premiere will be MarjorieTallchief, Moscelyne
Larkin, Sen. Enoch Kelly Haney, NMAI Director W. Richard West, and the filmmakers. The Heye Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursday's until 8 p.m.
Admission is free. For more information, check the museum's homepage at www.si.edu/nmai, or call the 24-hour public
program line at (212) 514-3888. Learn more about ballet at this site One of those days was Oct. 8, 1997 when Oklahoma's five most noted American-Indian
ballerinas met at the Oklahoma Capitol to receive yet another distinguished award to add to their collection of
honors. These artistically accomplished and internationally acclaimed women now join the elite
list of individuals who have received recognition as Oklahoma Treasures. Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, Moscelyne Larkin, Maria Tallchief and Marjorie
Tallchief deserve our reverence, a ballet term for a deep bow of respect. Such is the stature of these accomplished women that one is easily awed by their presence. The very fact that they all made it to the top of their careers in a most demanding
performing art form is reason enough for awe. But as masters "assoluta" of ballet, each transcended the age of mastery
in unique ways that continue to serve as links in ballet history. Their contributions to dance are "the breath of life made visible," to quote
an old American-Indian saying. Depicted in the "Flight of Spirit" mural that hangs at the capitol, these
dancers were reunited for the first time since the mural's 1991 dedication. Yvonne Chouteau, ballerina and founding Director of Ballet Oklahoma, Oklahoma City.
Canku Ota is a copyright of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.
Mike Larsen, artist
This mural honors Oklahoma's five renowned Indian ballerinas:
The mural hangs in the north arch of the rotundo of the State Capitol Building in Oklahoma City.
Ballet, form of theatrical dance that began to evolve in Western Europe during the Renaissance (1300-1600).
Ballet
http://encarta.msn.com/index/conciseindex/0D/00D7F000.htm
State Remembers Five Treasures
THE OKLAHOMA DAILY
Some days
were made for legends and legendary figures.
Rosella Hightower, world-renouned ballerina, founder of internationally acclaimed "Centre de Danse International"
in Cannes.
Moscelyne Larkin, ballerina, co-founder Tulsa Ballet Theater. Tulsa.
Maria Tallchief-Paschen, prima ballerina, with sister, Marjorie, founded Chicago City Ballet in 1980. Jan. 24,
1925, Fairfax.
Marjorie Tallchief. Ballerina. Born Denver, 1926, early years, Fairfax.
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